Tag Archives: gumby

Tag Archives: gumby

Moving Mountains for Gumby.

Your favorite clay stop-motion animation star Gumby now has a reality show episode under his belt. In April 2015, Gumby and the Clokeys (the family that created Gumby) appeared on A&E’s Shipping Warsshow.

In celebration of Gumby’s 60th Birthday, Arizona State University hosted a special Gumby exhibit in a gallery on its Tempe campus. Shipping Wars engaged professional shippers to bid on the opportunity to ship the Gumby exhibit to Arizona. The winning team packed up priceless memorabilia, photos and delicate clay puppets, sets and very tiny fragile props and delivered them to the gallery, 850 miles away across the desert. One set included snowy mountains made of wood and plaster 18’ long and 8’ high, a ski patrol house, Gumby’s winter cabin and snow banks. Packing, loading and this precious cargo was a challenge to say the least.

One of the shippers was so enamored with Gumby, her childhood hero, that she insisted on helping set up the exhibit and she even stuck around afterwards to kick off the exhibit in true Gumby style. You’ll have to watch the show to see how the journey and event unfolded.

If you missed the show when it first aired, check the A&E website, YouTube and your local cable listings to see where you can watch it now. You can catch a short clip of it here:

Gumby’s Going to College!

Gumby Fest has a new home – Citrus College in Glendora, California. The second annual Gumby Fest is expanding to fill an entire weekend (Sept. 18-20, 2015) and a larger venue. With so much to see and do, you won’t want to miss it.

Gumby turns 60 this year and Citrus is celebrating its centennial, so it’s a great time to bring the two together to present the festival that will feature all the fun from the inaugural festival and much more.

“This is such a fortuitous opportunity for our programs,” says Robert Slack, Dean of Fine and Performing Arts at Citrus College. “We are 18 months away from finishing a new 30,000 square- foot Fine Arts Complex that will have more than 100 Mac stations to teach design, animation and various other digital media classes.”

“There are so many related disciplines in the arts that are part of a stop-motion production, so having Citrus present Gumby Fest 2015 will be perfect,” said Joe Clokey, son of creator Art Clokey. “I’m sure Gumby Fest 2015 will put smiles on a whole new group of families and animation enthusiasts.”

New this year will be the first U.S. Stop-Motion Animation Festival spotlighting the work of students from kindergarten to college, as well as post-collegiate entries.

Festival activities will include more children’s art workshops in classrooms, discussion panels with stop-motion animation professionals, screenings of Gumby cartoons and stop-motion animation submissions, as well as an expanded Gumby Through the Years presented by Joe Clokey, son of creator Art Clokey, and more.

Art and Ruth Clokey founded Clokey Films (later renamed Clokey Productions) when they launched Gumby in 1955. The studio moved from Hollywood to a larger facility in Glendora, California in 1960, when they began production on 85 Gumby episodes and 65 Davey and Goliath episodes.

Gumby debuted on NBC’s Howdy Doody Show and became an instant success to get his own series on the network. Gumby and his friends starred in more than 209 TV episodes and a movie.

Many of the animators, puppet makers and set designers who worked with the Clokeys in Glendora went on to work for Star Wars,A Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, James and the Giant Peach and more stop-motion animation and other film classics.

Clokey’s son Joe and his wife Joan employ top animators, puppet makers and set designers in the industry (many of whom were mentored by Art himself) as they continue all things Gumby with Premavision, Inc., and Prema Toy, Inc.

A new generation of Gumby fans are enjoying re-mastered Gumby episodes broadcast on Teletoon in Canada and on Kabillion and Ameba TV here in the United States.

For more information about Gumby Fest, email Matt Jackson, professor of Animation at the Citrus College Fine and Performing Arts Department, mjackson@citruscollege.edu.

Gumby, The World’s Original Clayboy Turns 60.

Re-mastered episodes from the ’50s and ’60s make global debut on TELETOON Retro Sunday, January 4 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

12/18/2014.

(TORONTO, ON) The timeless adventures of Gumby return to television this January as TELETOON Retro brings the world’s original clayboy back with newly re-mastered episodes from the ’50s and ’60s. Set to make its global television premiere on TELETOON Retro Sunday, January 4 at 7 p.m. ET/PT, the network will also commemorate Gumby on his 60th birthday, Thursday, January 29 with a special marathon airing at 6 p.m. ET/PT.

“We are thrilled that TELETOON Retro will be the first network to broadcast the re-mastered episodes of this classic series,” says Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Programming and Original Productions, Corus Kids. “Gumby is a pop culture icon that resonates with fans of all ages and we couldn’t think of a better time to re-introduce the series as we celebrate Gumby’s 60th birthday.”

The series follows the fun-filled adventures of the everyday hero Gumby, who is full of wonder and awe, and is always leaving a place better than when he found it. With his best pony pal and voice of reason, Pokey, they magically transport to locales near and far, overcoming any obstacle that they meet including the mischievous troublemakers, The Blockheads.

Created by stop motion pioneer Art Clokey, Gumby captured the imagination and hearts of children around the world as the first stop motion clay animated television series. Initially appearing on the Howdy Doody Show in 1956, the little green slab of clay transcended as a stand-alone television series across major network in 146 countries, commissioned over 200 episodes and continues to be a relevant pop culture icon today.

“Gumby has inspired the hearts of millions around the world with adventures steeped in imagination, action, surrealism, heart and humor,” says Joe Clokey, Head of Gumby Studios. “There is a special fondness for Gumby in Canada, so I’m thrilled that TELETOON Retro will be the first to air the newly re-mastered episodes from their original camera rolls and soundtracks. You’ve never seen Gumby like this before!”

TELETOON Retro presents classic cartoons all day, every day. A nostalgic throwback to favourites of the past, TELETOON Retro delivers new laughs with familiar friends that the whole family can watch, revisit and enjoy. TELETOON Retro gives viewers an opportunity to relive their favourite animated moments while introducing a whole new generation to beloved cartoon classics. TELETOON Retro is owned by Canadian-based media and entertainment company Corus Entertainment Inc. For more information, please visit teletoonretro.com and corusent.com.

Ameba, a pioneering multi-platform children’s streaming TV provider, has added Gumby, a classic green clay character beloved by kids the world over, to its award-winning kids’ TV lineup.

“We are excited to bring over 200 episodes of pure claymation fun from Art Clokey’s original Gumby Adventures series to children across the U.S.,” says Ameba CEO and founder Tony Havelka. “We loved watching Gumby as kids, and we’re sure your kids will love watching him, too. We’re proud to introduce this fun-loving entertainment icon to our young viewers on every screen they watch Ameba on – from tablets to smartphones on-the-go, to laptops and flat screens in the comfort of home.”

Gumby is perhaps the best-known stop motion clay character in the world. In Gumby Adventures, kids will enjoy watching Gumby and his pals run a farm full of wacky animals, including a wooly mammoth, a bee, and lots more fun characters.

Ameba’s ever-expanding children’s TV library is filled with educational, preschool, musical, and multilingual cartoon and live-action programming for kids ages two to 12. Ameba features award-winning shows that kids love and parents trust.

Now it’s easier than ever for kids to access their favorite shows on Ameba. If you’re not already an Ameba subscriber, you can sign up for a free week to check out Ameba’s exciting, entertaining library of family-friendly TV shows, movies, music videos and more.

Re-mastered Gumby Episodes to Air in November

Big news! Your favorite Gumby episodes will be back on TV! Kabillion, one of the Top 10 Kids Free On Demand TV networks will launch Gumby episodes in mid November. Kabillion is available in over 45 million households in the U.S., so check your cable menu. There is a good chance that you already have this station in the “free” section of the menu. The Kabillion network is provided by most of the major cable companies: Time Warner, Comcast, Verizon, Charter, Bright House, Blue Ridge Communications, and more. Read about Kabillion here. Check out Kabillion’s YouTube station to watch online.

Joe Clokey, son of Gumby creators Art and Ruth Clokey, has recently re-mastered the classic Gumby episodes from their original camera film rolls and included the original soundtracks. Gumby is brighter, more colorful and more fun than ever! You’ve never seen Gumby like this before! With 209 episodes, the longtime hit series has aired in over 146 countries and touched many generations, first airing in the mid 1950s, and continuing into the 2000s.

“My parents created Gumby as a gift of love to children and the child within all of us,” commented Joe Clokey. “People from all generations have been enthralled with these timeless imaginative adventures. Families today want to have 24/7 access to content and we are delighted to be partnering with Kabillion who can now make this happen for our Gumby fans everywhere.”

“For well over fifty years, Gumby has inspired people of all ages and nationalities with the shows central concept of lending a helping hand to others. Gumby has truly become a cultural icon,” commented Nicolas Atlan, Kabillion President & Splash Entertainment co-CEO. “We are excited to bring Gumby to our audience as it is a show that crosses multiple generations and will provide a great co-viewing experience,” added David Di Lorenzo, Vice President Licensing and Digital Distribution for Kabillion.

Stayed tuned… more announcements and official launch dates to come.

P.S. To our Canadian fans: You’re going to love what we have in store for you!

It’s here, it’s here! Get creative with your photography using the new Gumby ‘N Me app.

This fun new app allows you to insert Gumby, Pokey and the Blockheads into any photo taken on your iPhone. You can adjust the size and contrast of the characters and add text. Having a beach party? Message your friends with a photo of Gumby making a sandcastle with the gang, or share a photo on Facebook of you, your friends, Gumby and Pokey at a sporting event cheering for your team. The basic app is free, and once you’re in the app, you can purchase additional pose libraries, such as a sports pack or holiday pack.

Fans often send us photos of their Gumby bendable figures in unique situations and exotic places, such as in front of the Eiffel Tower or at a concert. This app is a great way to take Gumby wherever you go. Gumby can show up at any venue you photograph. Plus, it encourages you to stretch your imagination and be playful and creative with how you add Gumby into your scene. Create a work of art with a few clicks and swipes, and forward it on to cheer up a friend or generate some laughs. The possibilities are endless.

Gumby has a fun new app! Now you can be Gumby or Pokey as you message or chat. Intel’s new Pocket Avatar app creates instant animation. Simply record a message, and the app maps your voice and facial expressions onto an image of Gumby or Pokey. It’s instant animation. Send the message to friend via text or email to get the conversation started or post to your favorite social media sites.

How it works: The camera captures moving faces, lighting conditions and a range of emotions such as smiles, blinking eyes or kisses. The recordings are processed through an algorithm and then mapped on the avatar in real time to create personalized video messages. Emoticons have been a standard tool for expressions in text messaging. An animated chat that reflects a real person’s mood is more engaging. If a user is angry or happy, the avatar will show it.

“Gumby is thrilled to be one of the first Pocket Avatars! For generations, fans have formed lasting emotional connections with the character. Gumby–the world’s original clayboy–is a timeless icon and natural avatar. He is synonymous with ‘flexibility’ as he can morph into any shape. With his adventurous spirit, bright outlook on life and desire to leave a place better than how he found it, Gumby is loveable and irresistible. As the theme song says, ‘If you’ve got a heart, then Gumby’s a part of you!’ Everyone has a little Gumby (and Pokey) inside.” -Joe Clokey, President, Premavision/Clokey Productions

Family Fun for All Ages

The inaugural Gumby Fest, June 14, 2014, in Glendora, California, was a smashing success! Thousands of Los Angeles locals, and Gumby fans from as far away as Canada and Las Vegas, turned out celebrate all things Gumby and honor Gumby’s connection to Glendora. The Gumby studio, Clokey Productions, which also produced the famed Davey and Goliath series, was located in Glendora in the 1960s and 70s. The Glendora Chamber of Commerce, Glendora Community Services, Glendora Library, Glendora Rotary and Glendora Kiwanis banded together to produce this historic event in Gumby’s childhood hometown!

Special Guests, Fascinating Presentations

Joe Clokey, son of Gumby creators Art and Ruth Clokey gave a wonderful retrospective presentation “Gumby Through the Years,” which brought back a flood of fond memories for attendees. A steady flow of fans visited the temporary “Gumby Museum” which showcased photos, puppets, set pieces, toys and other memorabilia, provided by the Clokey family. Gumby episodes were shown in two locations, and a variety of animated student shorts submitted to the festival were also screened.

The “Gumby Gang,” a panel of current and former Clokey Productions animators, puppet makers, cameramen, artists, etc,. spoke to a packed auditorium. Some fun stories surfaced about working with Art and Ruth Clokey… oh, the clay fights! Many of the speakers described how their first film/TV job at Clokey Productions catapulted their careers. Collectively, they have gone on to work on blockbuster films and popular TV series too numerous to mention here.

Among the “Gumby Gang” speakers from the ‘60s studio was seven-time Academy Award winning make-up artist Rick Baker (Maleficent, An American Werewolf in London, Men in Black, Star Wars, and many, many more), who got his start as a teenager at Clokey Productions in the late ‘60s. Baker was joined by two of his contemporaries: Doug Beswick, with more than 40 years of visual effects achievements to his credit, including Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Terminator, Aliens, Evil Dead 2, Gremlins 2, Nightmare on Elm Street 3, and Beetlejuice; and Harry Walton, (Nightmare Before Christmas, The Abyss, James and the Giant Peach, Who Framed Roger Rabbit…) well-known for his skills in animation, visual effects, fabrication, puppet making and photography. Bill Stromberg and Carl Jablonski, animators/puppet makers, rounded out the speakers from the ‘60s.

Norman DiCarlo, Richard Zimmerman, and Chris Peterson represented the Clokey/Productions crew from the 1980s studio in Sausalito, CA. Ron Dexter and Fred Thompson elaborated on the more recent Clokey/Premavision productions in the 2000s.

Chris Peterson from LAIKA Studios introduced that studio’s newest film, Boxtrolls, and a team from Stoopid Buddies Studios (producers of Robot Chicken) previewed some of their work, discussed the more technical aspects of stop motion animation, and gave some insights on how the medium has evolved.

Creativity and New Gumby Memories

While the adults were riveted to the presentations, kids absorbed themselves in the many art and animation activities and games. They created their own stop motion videos, assisted by animators from Stoopid Buddies Studio. Visitors got Gumby temporary tattoos, danced along with Gumby to live local bands and ate yummy Gumby & Pokey cookies and cupcakes baked by a local Glendora bakery. Race car driver Kenton Koch, a Glendora native, showed off his custom Gumby race car, helmet and race suit. He graciously donated the helmet and suit to the Glendora Library for an auction. Read more about Kenton Koch.

All in all, it was a fantastic Gumby Day! The Gumby Central Gang appreciates all of the fantastic ideas, perfect coordination, and countless hours of volunteer work provided by the Glendora organizations their teams. A huge Gumby thank you to all who were involved! We are looking forward to Gumby Fest 2015! Glendora rocks!

Glendora native Kenton Koch and pal Gumby were all smiles atop the podium at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California on May 3, 2014. Koch, racing his Gumby Fest custom ALARA Mazda MX-5, celebrated a first place finish at his home track.

“This weekend was a great weekend for Gumby! A win and a second place was just what we asked for,” said Koch.

In addition to his Gumby racing car, Koch sported a custom Gumby Fest Mazda Motorsports Sparco racesuit and helmet, which he donated to the Glendora Library to be auctioned off in support of the library. This partnership grew out of Koch’s desire to give back to his hometown. He found creative ways to get involved by promoting Gendora’s inaugural Gumby Fest, June 14, which honored the city’s connection to Gumby.

“A special thanks to L & G Enterprises for painting such a beautiful helmet. To whoever gets this piece of art, take care of it!” Koch remarked about the Gumby helmet.

Kenton made appearances before and during Gumby Fest for photos ops with Gumby, Koch’s custom racecar, suit and helmet.The first-ever Gumby Fest honored Glendora’s connection to Gumby—the city was home to Gumby’s studios (Clokey Productions) in the 1960s and 1970s. Thousands turned out for the festivities, which included presentations by current and past Clokey Productions crew, film screenings, stop motion animation demonstrations, a “Gumby Museum” filled with memorabilia, food, music, and a wide array of games and activities for the kids.The planning team is looking forward to the second annual Gumby Fest in the summer of 2015.

Glendora Racer Kenton Koch Promotes Inaugural Gumby Fest at 125 mph

April, 2014 (GLENDORA, Calif) Race drivers come in all shapes and sizes. Glendora native Kenton Koch is tall and lean, just like another famous Glendora native—Gumby. On May 1-3, Kenton will be taking Gumby for a high-speed ride in his ALARA Racing Mazda MX-5 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in Monterey, California. This community partnership is to promote the June 14th Gumby Fest in Glendora, and help raise money for the Glendora Library.

Kenton Koch's Gumby race car

Kenton will be donating his custom Gumby Fest Mazda Motorsports Sparco racesuit and helmet to the Glendora Library to be auctioned off in support of the library.

Kenton Koch: “Being a native Glendora resident, I jumped at the chance to support this great community event. My plan is to take both Gumby and Pokey to the winners circle in Monterey.”

Joe Cina, Executive Director, Glendora Chamber of Commerce: “The inaugural Gumby Fest is all about fun for the family. It’s wonderful to have young community leaders like Kenton Koch step forward in creative ways to help out. This will be a great photo op for kids of all ages.”

Joe Clokey, Clokey Productions/Premavision: “Gumby is about adventure, and racing is certainly an adventure. It’s great to have a Glendora native carrying Gumby and Pokey at the racetrack.”

About Gumby and Gumby Fest

Memories of Gumby make everyone smile. What most people don’t know is that Gumby is alive and doing well, and we’re here to help promote and educate everyone on the history of Gumby as well as the magic Gumby will create for future generations. Welcome to Gumby Fest Glendora. Many are not aware Glendora, California, is Gumby’s hometown. Gumby was created in the mind of Art Clokey after he graduated from USC in the early 1950s. In 1953, Art produced the first clay animation music video called “Gumbasia,” which led to the Gumby series. Based on a suggestion by Art’s wife Ruth, Gumby’s shape was inspired by a gingerbread man. Clokey’s first commercial production of Gumby was an episode for the hugely popular “The Howdy Doody Show.” Gumby then earned his own spin-off in 1957 on NBC that resulted in 233 episodes. In 1960, the couple opened Clokey Productions on Fleetwood Avenue in Glendora. For the next 18 years, Gumby and the stop-motion animated children’s Christian television series, “Davey & Goliath” were produced quietly in an unassuming industrial building in south Glendora. Since Gumby lived in Glendora during his formative years from when he was 7 until 25, we humbly claim that Glendora is Gumby’s Hometown. In honor of Glendora’s connection to Gumby, Glendora will host the first ever Gumby Fest on June 14, 2014, with film screenings, demonstrations, memorabilia, historical displays and plenty of games, contests and activities for the kids.

About Kenton Koch Racing

19-year old Kenton Koch has been racing for over a decade, starting out in karts at age eight. The Glendora native balanced his school work with racing as he moved up to racing with the Skip Barber Racing School where he won 30 races over three years. Kenton won the 2013 Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Pro Challenge to earn a place in the Mazda SportsCar Racing Academy. Kenton kicked off the 2014 season with a win and a second place in the SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich. When not at the racetrack, Kenton is a full-time student at Cal State Fullerton where he is majoring in Mechanical Engineering.